Moonlight
by MementoMori99
Summary: Meagan Elise just wants to survive high school without too much incident, but when the loss of a family member brings her to Volterra, Italy, she finds a world entirely more vicious than she could ever imagine. Rated Teen for some dark elements.
1. Chapter 1: Fate

**_Author's Note: So, I was sitting around one day when this idea for an original character popped into my head. Well, I couldn't ignore it, and Moonlight was born. It's a little slow in the beginning, but the build is worth it. I hope you enjoy! Please read and review!_**

**P.S. This has nothing to do with that show on SyFy...I didn't even know that the series existed until after I had written this...just wanted to clear up any confusion!**

_And there, in the dead of night, all became clear_

February, 1939

There was a tap on my Home-Ec room's door. "Enter," answered Miss Banner. In walked my sister. She handed a note to the tottering old lady. "Very well, then," she harrumphed. "Meagan Elise?"

"Yes, Ma'am?" I answereed, sort of nervous.

"Getr your things. You and Mary are leaving early today."

"O-okay," I stuttered. I went to pick up my books and, of course, a few clattered to the floor. An undercurrent of snickering reverberated through the room. Typical. Somehow, I managed to pick up the offending materials and exit the room without further exihibitting my infamous klutziness. The door closed shut begind us with a clack.

I looked at my twin sister. She had all the looks in the family. Her hair was blonde, her eyes were set in long lashes, and her skin was perfectly flawless. It was olive toned, sure, but at least _she _looked American The only trait that defied her normalcy was the color of her eyes, the darkest of blacks that could only be explained by our Quileute heritage.

_She_ looked normal. I, on the other hand, looked like a foreigner. My hair was dark brown to the point of blackness, save for the occasional red higlight. It curled as well, making it absoulutely impossible to style in any way, shape, or form. My skin was a permannt dark olive, a mixture of Quileute and Mediterranean ancestry. As an insult to injury, I was short, too. Standing at a measly five foot nothing, the only good features I owned were my eyes. They were almond shaped, and smallish, but the resonated an icy blue.

And so, with these blue eyes I probed my fraternal twin sister's face. "What's going on?" I asked.

"I have absoulutely no idea, is." A scared look played across her features. "Do you thing that something happened to-"

"Let's not even go there. Maybe daddy just felt like taking us out early for a mini vacation..."

My eyebrows scrunched. "In the middle of February?" Her face reflected my own skepticism.

"Point taken." Mary sighend, "Let's just-"

"Drop it 'til we find out? Yeah, gotcha." The trip to the office was a long, uncomfortable one, mostly conisting of held breath and struggling not drop my books. Where was my happy place when I needed it? Times likes these were when I desperately wished I wasn't me. Granted, I wishd I wasn't me at least fifty times a day, but who's counting?

Finally, we arrived at the front office. We both took a deep breath and stepped inside. Mary was getting really antsy. I flashed her a look that said, "Stay cool." She got the message, resuming breathing, a necessary function of life. _Must I always be the calm sister?_

Father's back was to us when we opened the door. As we closed it, he spun around, but with papers in his hand. "Hey girls!" he said smiling. I glanced back at Mary.

"He-ey, Dad."

"How was school?" He replied, igonring my tone.

"The usual." Bad.

"Uh-okay." Mary focused intently on Dad, not letting them wonder, as if boring holes into his business suit would somehow explain this unusual pick-up.

"Good to hear!" Okay, Dad, the mock enthusiasm was beginning to wear on my nerves. He turned to Ms. Morris, our office lady, "Thanks so much. Have a nice day, Ma'am." And with that, Mary and I were all but shoved out the door.

I couldn't take it anymore. "Dad, what the heck is going on?"

"Is the company in trouble or something?" Mary piped. "Are Mom and Matt okay? Did something burn down?" The theories grew increasingly frantic.

Still calm, I added, "Are you pulling our legs?" The tension silenced Mary. I loved her, but, jeez, she could totally lose it in no time flat.

Once in the car, Daddy took a big breath. By now, the air was thoroughly smothering me. "Dears," he began, "You do remember Grandma Mary, right?"

"How can we forget, Dad? She's the best, and I am her namesake," Mary replied. I nooded in agreement. "Not to mention the years of letters we sent each other...We should be getting one soon, actually."

Daddy sighed, "Right. Stupid question. I just hate bearing bad news." Uh-oh. Signs of sadness began to break through his facade. "Girls, grandma die-passed away- this morning." Whispering, he added, "Her heart gave out."

"Oh, my God." Mary breathed. Tears welled in my eyes. Grandma had been so alive. I mean, at fifty, she still mountain climbed. For a good portion of her life, she governed Volterra, a city in Italy. Even though we were so far apart, she never missed sending a letter or forgot a brithday. Grandma was so involved in our lives. How could she die...just like that?

I cleared my throat. Something inside me told me there was something more. " So, um..." sniffle, "Why did you exactly..." wipe eyes, "pull us out of school early?"

"Well, Grandma's funeral is going to be held soon, and I don't want her to be buried with no one there, so we're leaving today so we won't miss it." Oh jeez. Were we seriously going to Itally, and for a funeral, no less? But, Dad had a point. He had only one brother, and he'd been KIA in the Great War before I was even born. And with the depression, none of our cousins in the States would be able to make it. Not everyone was as financially fortunate as us.

"Poor Grandpa. He must be heartbroken," Mary interupted the pensive silence that filled the car.

"He's doing as well as anyone can, "murmured Dad. The rest of the ride home was quiet. I suppose we were all too absorbed in our thoghts. Guilty, I reveled in being able to go to Italy, to Volterra! The city was rich in art and culture-I couldn't wait. Still, the ache of Gdrandma's passing persisted. Ti felt as though a chunk of my heart had been torn out. Something far more unpleasant else threatened to bubble to the surface of my feelings, but for fear of it demolishing my already cracked facade, I pushed it away. Now I needed to be strong for the family. Grandma wouldn't have wanted me to lose it. She would've wanted me to be the emotional pillar in the family, just as I always had been.

Or at least, that was my excuse for not admitting my vulnerability.


	2. Chapter 2: Strange

Sighing, I fell back onto my temporary bed. After a full week and a half of nothing but the reliable rocking o a ship, I'd had it.. If it hadn't been for the fact so many people were standing on the dock, I would've kissed the ground as we arrived in Italy. Once on land, we took the trang to Volterra. At the station Grandfather picked us up in his automobile and drove us to his and grandma's estate. Now, a day later, every time I closed my eyes, the room began to rock back and forth, back and forth. Well, at least we'd arrived in one piece.

"Meagan Elise?" Mary called from down the hall.

"In here," I answered.

"Mama and Papa want to go for a walk on the shore. They're thinking about making a day trip to Cecina. You want to come?"

Naturally, she already knew she'd said the magic words. My mood brightened instantly. "Of course! Lemme grab my sketchbook." I dug through my nightstand's drawer until I found it. My fingers drummed against the worn leather cover, anticipating the sights of ocean.

On our way down the staircase Mary sighed unhappily. Looking at her quizzically, I questioned, "What's wrong?" How could she be sad on a day we were going to the sea. Her love for the sea was matched only by my own.

She grabbed my sketchbook, "This."

"I know the drawings are amateur at best, but-"

"No, that's not what I mean," she sighed. "They're beautiful. I'm jealous. You have so much talent, and I've got nothing."

"Liar!" I put my arm around her, "Goof ball, you have loads of talent. You can play piano and you're sweet. Everybody loves you." I fought the urge to to emphasize that last word.

Thoughtful, she said, "Maybe...but most of the time it's just an act. You know how disagreeable I can be."

I snorted, "You're the single most annoyingly kind and charitable person I have ever met." Hence, despite the fact I envied her with every fiber of my being, I could never feel anything less than love for her.

"Thanks, Mellie," she smiled, using my nickname, "but there are days I wish I could have the same creativity you do."

I shrugged, nonchalant, "We all have our strengths, I suppose."

"Girls are you ready?" Dad's voice intoned from below.

"Coming!"

Later on that day:

"Mama! Look at this!" exclaimed Matt, my adorable baby brother. He held up a small sand crab, grinning ears to ear.

Mama, quite possible the best mother to ever walk the planet, knelt down to Matt's level and stroked the tiny crustacean. "Cute but why don't we put him back before he misses his home to much?"

"Okay!"

This was definitely the picture of bittersweet. Here my family was, mourning and preparing for a funeral; yet, here my family _was_, enjoying a quiet walk on the Italian shore. Our situation provided enough conflicting emotion worthy of poetry. Speaking of which, the sun had begun it's descent into the horizon, and the sketchbook was hot in my little hand.

"Mama? Can I please stay here a bi. I'd like to sketch awhile.

"Sure, honey. We'll be right over there." She pointed maybe a thirty yards away, knowing I liked my space while drawing.

I plopped myself on the nearest sand dune not threatened by the incoming tide. There, I opened up my prized sketchbook. Sadly, I realized this was my last page. Had I really had it this long? At any rate, with charcoal in hand, I began to etch the image before me.

The full glory of the sunset unfolded before me. Blues at the highest point in the sky faded into purples, then reds and oranges. The scent of grapes and, oddly enough, sandal wood mingled in the air vaguely reminding me of First Beach back on Grandpa Black's reservation. IF only I could put that feeling of old and new, of joy and sorrow on the page. That's what I wanted to do with my life-take what I saw and smelled and touched, and put them all on paper so others could experience what I did. Right then, my only though was to get this priceless scene through the charcoal pencil and onto the page.

First came the waves. For me, they were the hardest things to draw, so it made sense to get them out of the way first. As they were such a large element, I had to capture them perfectly, or the picture would be lackluster. From there, the picture evolved. By the time I was done, the sun was but a shimmer between the water and sky.

"Meagan Elise?" Mary beckoned from fifty yards down the shore line. Apparently they had walked farther away while I was otherwise involved.

"Coming, Mary!" I hollered. Just then, an icy breeze picked up, somehow taking my sketchbook with it as I tried to keep my hat in place. I looked in the direction I though I saw it fly off in, hoping to catch a glimpse of the black cover against the pale sand. That was when I noticed the dark figure not ten feet away. As lady-like as possible, I skipped over to him.

"Is this yours?" he asked. AN electric shock pierced my heart. Pure. Velvet. His voice was pure velvet. I didn't know a voice could sound so masculine, and yet, at the same time, so soft.

"Uh-y-yes," I floundered. He held it out to me. I took it, observing how careful he was not to let our skin touch. I gazed up at his face. Dark brown hair waved to his shoulders, an unusual hair cut. The stranger was tall and lean with a perfect jawline and his cheekbones that could've been sculpted out of marble. Definitely Mediterranean, but then why was his skin so pale that it gave of luminescence in the darkening twilight? The realization made my stomach turn funny. And it practically flew out of my abdomen when I finally met his eyes. They glowed a fiery crimson. How was that even possible? My instincts screamed, "Run!" but he seemed so benevolent.

"Th-thank you." I managed a shallow curtsy and rushed away from the ruby-eyed stranger.

"Mellie?" Mary queried, " "You all right?" I nodded my head as unanswered questions swirled inside of it. Who was that handsome, fear inspiring man? What was that strange look he had on his face as I ran away?


	3. Chapter 3: Black

Grandma's funeral was, well, expected. Too many reporters in my opinion though. I supposed grandma deserved it. She had been such an influential woman after all. She'd unexpectedly taken the mayoral duties of Volterra back when women in America had barely won the right to vote. Singlehandedly, she'd cleaned up what crime was in Volterra, including the abundance of corrupt bureaucrats. A good portion of the magnificent city's wealth owed its existence to her careful planning She was the pride of the Italian state, a true roman thoroughbred. Ironically, she chose a Spaniard for her husband, my grandfather I think, though, that made Volterra love her even more. If only she was here to fight the communism that was spreading like wildfire here in Europe. If only.

It was funny in a way: even though I knew what a great and important person she was, she'd never been that way in my mind. I never thought of her as Mary Azarola, the greatest leader in Volterran history. She'd always just been grandma, the greatest grandmother to ever walk the Earth.

Needless to say, with all the fanfare, we hardly enjoyed a moment's peace. I already felt pretty down, but the fact that I couldn't even sit down and mourn plunged me further into depression. Ugh, I wished Kevin was here. He was my best friend back in the 'States. Despite my clumsiness and altogether uncool tendencies, he was still my friend. He was the first to realize how graceful I could be behind closed doors. And he didn't allow my family's money poison our relationship. He would've been great to have here. Maybe then I wouldn't feel so helpless.

"Mellie," Mary whispered next to me. She put her head on my shoulder.

"I know," I answered, tears tears in my eyes, "I miss her too."

That exchange represented what was probably the best part of being a twin-the oneness of it. We were opposites, but since our time in the womb, we'd always been together. There was no doubt in my mind that we would never separate. Nothing short of death could break our bond.

We sat down on a pew sometime around noon. I wasn't exactly sure how long we stayed there, our heads resting on the other's shoulder, but when Mama and Daddy finally came to get us, the moon had begun her ascent into the night sky.

"Come on girls. Let's get you to bed, " said Daddy. Silently, we headed out to the automobile, our loss heavy on our minds. Poor little Matt slept in Mama's arms. She and Daddy held hands, gently swaying their interlocked fingers. Mary and I also held hands, drawing strength from one another. Together, our family was a single unit, all of us separate parts of the same whole. Nothing could break us, not even grandma's death.

I wasn't sure why, but as we loaded into our auto, I glanced back towards the church where the service had been held. It was an odd, old thing, was all of Volterra's architecture. The style was Gothic, undoubtedly established in the middle of Renaissance Italy. It was kinda creepy and beautiful all at the same time. A pointed arch framed its large oak doors. Several peaked and half arches arced around the whole building, more often than not accented by stained glass.

As eccentric as the church's design seemed to me, it wasn't what had caught my eye. Up there, on the top of the bell tower stood a single shrouded figure. A glint of red glowed in the moonlight. I blinked, trying to force my eyes to focus. And just like that, it vanished.

"What are you looking at?" I realized that my sister and I no longer held hands.

"It-It's nothing."

I slunk into the seat next to her, and we sped off into the night.

**~Sorry this took soooo long to post...you know, life. And sorry it's kind of short. I'll try to get more up soon! Feel free to review if you like!**


	4. Chapter 4: Errands

No sunlight filtered through the thick blanket of clouds. Despite the lack of light, the marketplace buzzed with activity. Set in the largest courtyard I'd ever seen, the vendors' carts ringed around the simple, yet massive, fountain centered in the middle. On the courtyard's perimeter stood the clock tower. Plaza Del Piori was written on a plaque at its base. The clock chimed noon, a deafening ring that seemed to freeze all motion.

"_Signorina_?" a man's voice questioned once the twelfth note had chimed, "Excuse me, Miss?"

My joints found they could bend again. I turned to face the man, or rather, giant. I mean, I knew I was short, but he towered over me. Not to mention, he looked as burly as a gorilla. Even so, I couldn't take my eyes off of the hard features of his bone-white face. His eyes were the strangest shade of black that reminded me of concord grapes that grew in Napa Valley back home.

"I was just noticing that lovely necklace you're wearing," he continued, "May I ask where you procured it?" The way his eyes seemed to pulse sent my head spinning.

I blinked a few times to clear the fog in my head. "My grandmother gave it to me." I touched my forefinger to the charm that was set in the middle of the choker's fabric. It had belonged to grandma when she was a girl; it was a birthday present just a few months ago.

A cockiness seemed to color his expression. Immediately the fog was gone. Why did I suddenly want to run-and fast? Warmth flooded through my veins, setting the hairs on the back of my neck straight.

"I suppose your grandmother is not from around here."

"And why would that be?" I mused.

"Your accent, though," he shrugged, "I'll admit you do look somewhat familiar. Have we ever met before?"

"No, we haven't. Your' probably confusing me with grandma Azarola." Dangit...why did I say anything at all? Why am I not running right now?

His eyes went wide, "You don't mean Mary Azarola, may God rest her soul, do you?"

Would this guy just give it up already? Why was he looking at me like that? "Yes, the one and the same, " I retorted curtly. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be off. I don't want my parents to worry. Good day." In one smooth motion, I turned away from the nephilim like man.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that, _cara mia_."

He was right in front of me. I _had_ turned, hadn't I?

I ducked my head to the right-and he was there again. The basket in the crook of my left arm hadn't even stopped moving yet.

"Stop playing around, Felix," a velvety smooth voice intoned. A tall, lean figure appeared next to the man-Felix. " Let's just get her and get out of here." Something about that wavy hair-an electric shock shot through my system. It was the same man as the stranger on the beach two weeks ago. Only now his eyes were the same shade as Felix's.

"Oh, fine," Felix conceded, sulky.

"What is it you want with me?" I asked, my heart racing.

"Our boss," Felix's tone was almost reverent, "wishes to see you."

"And-and if I refuse?"

The stranger I'd met on the beach shot an icy look at me, "That wouldn't be a good idea." And why did I believe him? Felix grabbed my right arm. I could feel the strength pulsing through his hand. It took all I had not to struggle. "Follow me," he ordered.

He and The Stranger led me through the reams of townsfolk, and passed through the ring of vendors to a small alley that I hadn't ever noticed before. It was a dead end. Where were they taking me? And how could I get away? I needed to escape.

The alley ended with a manhole and a stonewall.

Deftly, so fast my eyes could not track the movement, The Stranger removed the manhole's cover. He dropped into the black abyss below. Felix pushed me forward, urging me toward the same path. I shot hard gaze at him. _Are you serious?_

His answering gaze was almost amused. So he enjoyed my fear. "He'll catch you." That was the only warning I got; in the next moment I was free falling into the night. I did not scream, for my lungs constricted in terror, somehow knowing screaming would not help. The drop lasted maybe half a second. Before I knew it, I landed on something hard. A gasp came from my now functioning lungs. Had I landed on stone? Of course not. The Stranger had caught me, but his arms felt like steel girders, not flesh. They were cold too. My teeth chattered. This man was...different, as well as Felix. Their eye color, marble skin, and terror-inspiring words attested to that. What I didn't know was how all of these added up. They were unlike anything I'd seen, heard, or read a bout. And what's more, what could these terribly mesmerizing beings want with me, a mere fifteen-year-old girl? Panic coursed through my veins, instantly kick starting my heart to a whole new kind of fast.

Almost as if he'd heard my heart, he stared at me speculatively, then placed my feet on the wet cobblestone. For a moment, his hard expression softened. "Come on," he prompted, not waiting for me to continue. I followed, barely able to see the back of his dark shirt. All the while, I felt as though I would explode. Simultaneously, fire and ice flooded my system. How desperately I wanted to flee, but Felix would be on my heels. And yet, curiosity burned me. Who were these men? Who was there boss? What was The Stranger's name?

We walked until an nondescript door appeared at the end of the corridor. The Stranger opened it, and we stopped into a typical business hallway. My posture relaxed reflexively, but something told me this was only a deeper part of labyrinth. The heat flared again. Felix ghosted until he was right behind me. I could feel his cold breath on the back of my neck. The Stranger shot him a warning glance, and he eased up a smidge. The next door I was led through was just as unremarkable as the first, but it led to a less generic room. Towards the back was a desk where a statuesque blonde sat, clicking a typewriter's keys. The clicking sounded through the stagnant air. At my first step into the room, well after The Stranger's first few foot falls, the blonde looked up.

"Mr. Demetri, Mr. Felix. Welcome home. I see you brought our newest guest here. Welcome home, Miss Meagan."

"It's Meagan Elise," I muttered. How did this jerk know my name, and what did she mean by "home?"

Not paying mind to my small complaint, she said, "Feel free to go in anytime. Master Aro is nearly bouncing with excitement." Master?

Demetri nodded and led me around the corner. I didn't miss Felix wink at the receptionist as we rounded it half a second before him.

Now, this set of doors was far from plain. They reached all the way to the suddenly cathedral ceiling. Carved ivy and blossoms ornamented the cherry finish, arcing their way down to the dual handles. I'd never seen anything so simultaneously delicate and sturdy.

Demetri grasped these two handles in hand and swung them open. Little did I know that the next room would be entwined with my fate forever.


	5. Chapter 5: Aro

**Okay, okay I know it's been forever. I'm sorry! Just blame school! At any rate, it's finally over…so here's our next chapter. I hope you all like it. I apologize if it's crap. Oh and feel free to review!**

This next room was cavernous and completely made of stone. Hazy light filtered in through narrow, arched windows. In the center of it lay three wooden chairs-thrones really-on a slightly raised dais. On these sat three darkly robed individuals. One's hair was snowy white. To the far left was a man with hair as black as ravens' feathers, who looked at me blankly. Between them, looing as enthralled as humanly possible, sat another man with equally black hair. A shiver shot down my spine.

Something about them…

"Welcome, welcome," the enthralled one announced. "Why, Demetri, Felix, it seems as though you've found our young guest."

"Of course, master" the two mumbled, almost embarrassed. Wait, "master?" I shot a trembling glance at the man in front of me. This was the man who sent Felix and Demetri after me.

"Splendid, splendid!" The white haired guy's face mirrored mine, and splendid was not the word either of us would've chosen.

"Why am I here?" The words fell off my tongue like wooden blocks.

"All in good time, my der." The man arose from his throne, ghosting towards us. "But first, I'd like to introduce everybody. You've already met Felix and Demetri. If wanted to run. My feet were frozen in place.

"This is Caius," he gestured to the white-haired one, "And this is Marcus," this time waving his hand gracefully to the bored one.

"W-who are you?" I managed to squeak.

"Why, I am Aro, my dear," he reminded me of an overexcited puppy, no rabid dog. Those eyes…

I shook my head. Why were these eyes so mesmerizing? Focusing was hard. The questions refused to come out. What was wrong with me? _C'mon, Mellie, you got dragged down here, start acting like you have a spine, not some invertebrate captive!_

Aro drifted closer to me, his toes barely seeming to touch the ground. Automatically, I shuffled backwards, bumping into Demetri's cold torso. The men ignored me. Aro stretched out his hand as if to touch me. I shrunk back, but Felix prodded my hand forward. It was no use resisting the ironclad grip. Aro brushed the tips of my fingers with his for the shortest amount of time.

"Fascinating!" I thought I heard him say, "Absolutely fascinating." Again, I felt my heart start to thump against my sternum. Fascinating? My fingers? What was this guy on?

"Don't worry, Mellie," Aro cooed, "we have no intentions of hurting you." Why did I not believe him?

"Then why am I here?" I ground out. Anger was good. It began to pour into my veins, masking the panic. Bolder, I continued, "And why did you send these thugs to stalk me? You could've just sent a letter, a calling card, something."

He almost looked surprised. Almost. "That wouldn't have worked. You never would've come." Well, he had a point. "By the way, Demetri, how did you letter her see you?" Aro's filmy red eyes never wavered from me. He knew that I'd seen Demetri?

"I didn't expect her to be so perceptive, master." There was that "master" again.

"Well," Aro smiled, " I suppose that's an easy mistake, considering her vision," he finally shifted his gaze to his underling, "But let's try not to underestimate our little Mellie. There's more to her than meets the eye.

"Please stop talking about me like I'm not in the room." Steam may as well have been trailing from my ears. "Will somebody please tell me what in the world I'm doing her so I can go home to my family?" I rarely raised my voice. Its unusual volume echoed off the walls.

"That is just the thing, my sweet," Aro sighed, "you can't go home."

"Oh really?" I sneered, "Why is that?"

"You have certain gifts," he said matter-of-factly, "that interests us very much. We'd like you to join us." He scrunched his brows together. "I am sorry we couldn't have waited any longer, but you were right on our doorstep. It would've been pointless to have let you go back home only to retrieve you in a year or so. You humans mature so quickly, and are so fragile too. I didn't want you to get hurt before you joined our ranks." I was dreaming. This was a nightmare. My joints liquefied, becoming detached, useless as a puppet without her puppeteer. "My condolences for your grandmother, by the way. She was such a good ruler of Volterra. "His eyes looked downcast, as if he really meant it. In an instant, though, they were perky again. "But as fate would have it, her passing was a blessing disguise, fore now we have you here."

"what do you mean by 'you humans'?" I rasped.

Tapping his forefinger on his chin, Aro answered, "I'm not sure I should…"

"Just get one with it Aro," the white haired-one-Caius-said.

"Very well." Aro leveled his gaze squarely at me, unleashing its full force, "We, my dear, are not humans, but vampires."

Pardon?

"You mean like Dracula? I'm so sure." He was nuts, bonkers. But, those eyes…

Piercing agony shot through my skull. Fire danced on my skin. Blackness eroded away at my already limited vision. I couldn't breathe. Somebody had laid boulders on my chest, and I gasped for air.

"Jane, sweetling, do stop."

The pain instantly faded. Looking at my hands, I inspected for burns, finding nothing. Realizing I had fallen to the ground, I shakily stood up, picking up my basket from where it had dropped.

"Serves her right for not taking us serious," came a female's bored voice. "I was merely teaching her some manners, master."

I stared, wide eyed at the girl who'd spoken. She appeared so adorable, and yet so malignant. Her ambiguous form was shrouded in an ashen cloak, darker than the two larger vampires at my back.

"Meagan Elise, I'd like you to meet Jane. Jane, this is Meagan Elise," Aro chirruped.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Jane dropped into a shallow curtsy. Her cherry red eyes shone as her face morphed into more angelic features. Then, just as the cherub emerged, it left, leaving the surly demon.

Vampire.

I sucked in a breath as every atom in my body shrieked.

Aro tenderly, authoritatively intoned, "Welcome to the family."


	6. Chapter 6: Turtle Dove

"This is where you'll be staying," Anna said, all t0o happy for a person currently introducing me to my own personal dungeon. "You're lucky," she was purring, "You have a view of the countryside instead of the city, like me, but the sun will be here all day. That'd be annoying. She frowned. "Dear, are you even listening?"

My jaw creaked as I opened it to speak, but no words came. They drowned in a sea of choked back tears. I cast a look out the window, and nearly jumped when I realized that the sun had hardly shifted position at all since I was in the plaza. This morning I had left in a perfectly routine outing to the market. Just this morning, I had a family.

But still didn't I?

If this proved to save them from these monsters, then wasn't it worth it? If anything, I could try. Either way, my life remained forfeit, but in following Aro's scheme of things, they'd be safe. If I refused this Aro's offer, I robbed them of what little security they had. Could I do this? Hang on just long enough for them to unknowingly escape back home-without me in tow...? I could give that at least.

"Yes," I was listening, Anna," I finally responded as the fear for my family overwhelmed my. fear for my near future. "It's just," I faltered, "just so much to take in at once."

She smiled, "I know. My first day," she shook her head, "I was so excited to land such an opportunity. You and I are going to earn even better appointments. You wait and see." Fluffing her hair she added, "And follow my lead of course."

She didn't know about them then, these, I recoiled from the word, vampires. Surely otherwise, she'd be consoling me for my loss, the shock of it all, no reveling in job opportunities. What sort of woman wanted to be "moving up" anyway? Not entirely sure of Anna's motives, I smiled encouragingly and nodded.

"Ah, well," she clasped her hands together, "I'll leave you to settle in. I'll come and bring you some lunch later.." She stroked her blonde mane, as if in deep thought, One more thing,I believe you have all day to yourself-unusual for new resident employees-but tomorrow you start work."

"Work?" I squeaked.

Herr brows drew together, "Of course; you're the new receptionist." eying me curiously she continued, "Mr. Aro said that your wardrobe was already delivered; It should be in the armoire " Laughter punctuated her explanation. "Wouldn't want you greeting the company's guest in _that_, now would we?" More laughter. " I'll see you in a bit. Ta!" I listened to her stilettos march into silence down the hall.

Before I could think about anything else, I found myself opening up the mahogany wardrobe

across from the four poster bed that I supposed was now mine. Just like the doors to the stone room before, it was ornate in the extreme. The two panels on the doors depicted a willowy tree bending in the breeze set before a starlit ocean. It's leaves curled to form a a complete frame. Opening these, I stared into the wardrobe's contents, mind numb. These were not my clothes. My clothes were simple, somewhat eclectic. The erred on the side of casual, as I chose to not advertise my parents wealth. These, however, screamed "I'm a business woman, and I've got cash to burn." No sixteen year old had any suits as these fine satins with double breasted coats And the shoes! They all had heels. I looked down at my worn buster browns, surmising that Aro was determined to make me a mini Anna. Ha! What a funny thought: me a miniature of an unbelievably gorgeous blonde. Maybe he had meant to nab Mary...

I shut the wardrobe, wandering over to the window. Hills gently rolled below, emerald green in the warm sunlight The fields just stretched on forever and ever until green met blue at the horizon. No clouds interrupted the expanse of cerulean. A movement in the corner of the window caught my eye. There, on the sill, perched a little dove. I waled over to her, putting my hand to the pane separating us. She looked at my small hand, my face, and then cooed at me. For a moment, I wondered how I must look to her, trapped behind the glass transparency. Again, she cooed, this time it was a sad sound. And in a gentle spreading of wings, she left the sill, and me, behind. I didn't take my eyes of her until she became but a white speck in the distance.


End file.
